Professor Zvi C. Koren has recently given a lecture entitled ‘The Fashionable Colours of Antiquity Uncovered by Scientific Analyses’ at Heritage Malta’s Institute of Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage (ICMCH) in Bighi, Kalkara.

Professor Koren’s lecture was based upon the study of ancient colorants, which opens a historical window in the field of ancient technologies.

The investigation of the textile colours of ancient peoples involves a multi-disciplinary approach, which includes history, archaeology, religion, botany, entomology, marine zoology and forensic style analytical research.  The development of the ‘scientific art’ of textile dyeing through the course of time, can be analysed from the various archaeological textiles of different eras that have survived the ravages of time.  

The presentation discussed the various botanical and animal sources and the dyeing technologies associated with ancient colorants.  

The vegetal sources of dyestuffs that produce yellow, red and blue colours include amongst others, plant roots, leaves, flowers, tree bark and branches.  These colours were also combined to produce other colours.  

The animal origins of the dyestuffs include two major groups – entomological and molluscan.  Scale insects, such as cochineal and kermes varieties were used in antiquity to produce reddish colours such as crimson and scarlet.  Molluscs known as murex sea snails were the most expensive, the most difficult and the most royal and sacred of all dyes used in antiquity.  

These were the ‘Tyrian’ purples and violets worn by kings, emperors, Caesars, army commanders and high priests.

Case histories of historically important ancient textiles analysed by Professor Koren were described during the lecture.  These included 2000 year-old (Roman Period) Masada textiles, 3000 year-old Phoenician purple pigments, a 4000 year-old Egyptian textile and the oldest dyeing yet discovered anywhere in the world, a 6000 year-old linen burial shroud excavated in the Cave of the Warrior in the Judaen Desert of Israel.

Professor Zvi C. Koren is the Director of The Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Ancient Artifacts, a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Israel.  

He has published extensively in the area of ancient colorants.  Professor Koren is currently supporting a Heritage Malta conservator who is reading for a Master of Conservation in Applied Conservation Studies (M. Cons.), which course is offered at ICMCH.  The qualification of this course is awarded by the University of Malta.